Christmas needs to be cancelled.

[AlternativePerspective]

So the suggestion to make it possible for the world to go and be super spreaders at Christmas is to stay in lockdown until Christmas, then open up for five days, then go back into lockdown for another 25 days (at least), five days for every day we’re out of lockdown.

Are people really that desperate to have a get together they could have at any other time of the year, maybe in the summer when this pandemic is under control, that they’re willing to spend months in lockdown to achieve it? Really?

My personal opinion is that it is our duty as a society to have a low key Christmas regardless of whether they take this ridiculous measure or not.

I understand that for some they want to see family at Christmas, but these ridiculous suggestions have gone too far.

Just cancel Christmas and give us an extra bank holiday next year to make up for it.

@Sussexroadleyst and @Belladonna12

This is the thing. If it reduces the risks, that is enough.

I wfh, I have deliveries, I do go to the butcher, that has a one in and one out policy and social distancing is maintained outside the shop, and I wear masks. I've been doing this since 16th March. I've been made redundant, found another job, started said job, found a better job and did it all from home, pretty isolating.

I'm okay, but even I have my limits.

There are people a lot less patient than me. Humans need to feel free to make their own choices. Or "I predict a riot".

My df has terminal cancer id be dammed if I'm spending Christmas away from him and for him to miss out on seeing his grandchildren.

If only we’d “cancelled” travel over summer rather than patting ourselves on the back for adhering to lockdown. If only we’d “cancelled” EOTHO. Instead we’re apparently insistent on stretching covid out to all eternity, unlike countries who can now have all the Christmases, Halloweens, parties, holidays that they want without this nonsensical hand-wringing.

Surely there is a middle ground here of appealing to people to not take risks/meet up with aged relatives unless they feel they have to (the posters who have mentioned terminal illnesses for example, or people with other circumstances which make it very important for them to be together).
Everyone has different circumstances - some people hate Christmas, some don't celebrate it (and if I was a person who celebrated Eid I'd feel pretty pissed off with all the massive efforts to 'save' Christmas), some people, like me, enjoy a big family get together at Christmas, but would willingly forgo it this year. As a family, we carry a fairly high risk of transmitting Covid (3 kids in secondary school, one hospital worker) and I really don't want to pass it on to PILs who have been being very cautious since March just for the sake of this celebration (especially when they should be vaccinated in a few months' time!). But I can absolutely see why for some people, this Christmas feels very important and if one of my relatives was terminally ill, or my mum had just lost my dad, or any amount of other situations, I know I'd feel differently.

My university daughter is coming home she is isolating prior coming home isolating at home isolating again when she gets back its bad for everyone's mental health for Christmas to be fractured we are not having the elderly in we are not having guests just her coming home

[quote Faultymain5]**@Sussexroadleyst* and @Belladonna12*

This is the thing. If it reduces the risks, that is enough.

I wfh, I have deliveries, I do go to the butcher, that has a one in and one out policy and social distancing is maintained outside the shop, and I wear masks. I've been doing this since 16th March. I've been made redundant, found another job, started said job, found a better job and did it all from home, pretty isolating.

I'm okay, but even I have my limits.

There are people a lot less patient than me. Humans need to feel free to make their own choices. Or "I predict a riot".[/quote]
If you're at home all day and have deliveries I agree that you're probably not at much risk. That's not true of most people though, especially if they have children at school.

'My DF is dying and it will be his last Christmas. No way on earth am I “cancelling” Christmas for him and my devastated mother so they can sit at home alone. We will also have my disabled BiL with us or he will be alone as his wife left him this summer. Call me selfish if you like, I actually don’t give a fuck.'

Well no why would anyone call you selfish. It has been said throughout those who are terminally in or in support bubble like your bil would be an exception. Sorry about your Dad .

It is those who want to carry on as normal, travelling and staying over at other households or hosting a few mixed households for their usual Christmas shindig that need to stop and think. They really should be able to cope with a more minimal Christmas this year to protect their loved ones.

My personal opinion is that it is our duty as a society to have a low key Christmas regardless of whether they take this ridiculous measure or not.

You can take your duty to society and stick it.

Society has constantly treated me like shit when trying to go shopping as I can't wear a mask (don't go there!), so society can fuck right off, I have no duty towards them.

If I want Christmas, I'll have it.

Erm, how on earth do you cancel Christmas, that's like cancelling Sunday, lol.
Maybe you mean cancel some plans you had, during the festive season
We will be doing what we always do, bit of flu or not.

@PhilCornwall1

My personal opinion is that it is our duty as a society to have a low key Christmas regardless of whether they take this ridiculous measure or not.

You can take your duty to society and stick it.

Society has constantly treated me like shit when trying to go shopping as I can't wear a mask (don't go there!), so society can fuck right off, I have no duty towards them.

If I want Christmas, I'll have it.

.......you will need society in the future you can not be an island

I voted YANBU by accident but YABU as what you’re saying is stay in lockdown but essential workers continue to work? So Tesco stays open but pubs don’t? What would be the actual point aside from upsetting lots of people?

I agree lockdown shouldn’t be eased just for Christmas but the rest of your post is stupid.

You’re being very disrespectful to posters by saying “any day could be our lady’s” some posters have relatives that this will be their last.

Your post is distasteful even if it’s suppose to be well meaning.

@TragedyHands

Erm, how on earth do you cancel Christmas, that's like cancelling Sunday, lol. Maybe you mean cancel some plans you had, during the festive season We will be doing what we always do, bit of flu or not.

Good for you.

As for how you cancel Christmas, ask Margot Leadbetter 😂

Last not lady*

If you live with your children & partner then this is a completely unfair take. It's very easy to say that Christmas should be cancelled when that still means that you'll get to be with the people you love the most.

We've got three vaccines in the offing and families for whom the mental health benefits of spending time together probably outweigh the risks.

I doubt this lockdown will end on 2 December and my question is, what about New Year? As a family we get together for Christmas for a few days and then for New Year for a few days.

@PhilCornwall1 so you can’t wear a mask but fuck everybody else, you’ll go out exactly as much as you like?

Ok then. Glad I haven’t been out the house for longer than an Asda shop to keep people like you safe.

I agree with the OP in principle, however due to living 90 miles away from my DP I have only seen him a handful of times since March. All I want for Christmas is to be able to spend time with him. Doesn't even have to be Christmas Day, I just want a window of time to see him.

I think it's just time to accept the government have completely and irreparably lost control of the situation and let people just crack on as they see fit.

[quote MustardMitt]@PhilCornwall1 so you can’t wear a mask but fuck everybody else, you’ll go out exactly as much as you like?

Ok then. Glad I haven’t been out the house for longer than an Asda shop to keep people like you safe.[/quote]
No, I don't go out, so you are perfectly safe.

This is the most numpty post I've ever read.

I say this on all discussions relating to this, and I will continue to say it until I'm blue in the face.

If the virus is dangerous enough to have warranted us staying away from family for the best part of a year and letting businesses go under and our kids suffer through lack of education - of course we shouldn't relax restrictions for Christmas. People travel all over the country and see multiple groups of people, covid could enter huge numbers of households during this time, and people will die. Why is it okay to allow our elderly and vulnerable to mix 'because it's Christmas', yet not at any other time of year? Does it not matter if they catch the virus and die at Christmas, then?

The alternative is that risks are minimal by relaxing at Christmas, people won't die, the vast majority will recover, and cases won't rise exponentially. If this is the case (which surely it must be, if a responsible government are suggesting a relaxation), then we SHOULDN'T.BE.IN.LOCKDOWN.NOW.

Either it's a dangerous and threatening virus or it's not. It's either a risk to our health or it's not. But you can't just pick and choose this because of the day.

I'm all for opening up at Christmas, but they can fuck off saying we're locking down for another month after. Imagine if this was a virus like Ebola, but as easily transmitted as covid. Would we even be thinking about relaxing for Christmas then? No, because deaths would be huge. So if the virus really is so bad, nobody bats an eyelid about Christmas being cancelled because it's obvious we need to stay safe. This 'will they, won't they' shit just proves (if they choose to relax, at least) that everything we've been through this year was unnecessary.

Allow households and bubbles to spend Christmas together. Get together on Zoom. Drop off gifts with other relatives. But don't be silly about it.

Don't prioritise presents this year for presence next year.

It's very easy to say that Christmas should be cancelled when that still means that you'll get to be with the people you love the most.

I would say I love my mother as much as my husband. Probably more if I'm honest.

@EminemsMandMs

Sorry, hogging thread.

"I'm dreaming of a low-key Christmas".......

I would love, love, love to be able to tone it all down. Tell everyone I am not hosting. tell everyone I am not buying expensive presents and just token ones etc. I could totally reset Christmas.

Well then why don't you? Christmas shouldn't have to be cancelled for everyone just because you won't speak up and make Christmas the way you want it. Just do it for flip sake, if you don't want to 'do' Christmas, then don't!

I'm not missing the opportunity to tell my DM that she's becoming a grandmother for the first time to her face. So no, my Christmas will absolutely not be cancelled.

Not everyone is in the same boat as you. My mental health has suffered greatly during this lockdown and the thought of remaining locked up throughout December and onwards is something I can't even bear to think about.

Christmas is about the only thing keeping me going at the moment.